The Headline & Bullets

The single most effective, easiest to learn communication technique I know of is the "Headline & Bullets".

It is so effective because of three reasons:

• You can use it to communicate anything to anyone in a clear way

• You get to convey your message in 30 seconds or less

• Your message is not only clearly understood, it is also easy to remember later

And in case it wasn't obvious, I have just used the "Headline & Bullets" method to tell you that it's a great idea to use this method to communicate with others.

The first line of this email is the "Headline", and the three bullet points are, of course, the "Bullets".

And you can use this technique to:

1. Kick-off meetings

2. Give a project update

3. Write emails

4. Start a presentation

5. Break down a task into parts

6. Break down a project into phases

7. Explain why you did something the way you did it

8. Sell an idea (just like I did)

9. Share your doubts regarding an idea

Etc., etc., etc.

How to talk and write using Headline & Bullets

The basic premise of this technique is that (1) you have a synthesis of what you're gonna say in the Headline, and (2) you support or elaborate on that message through the bullet points.

Ideally, the Headline is sharp, interesting, and brings up some curiosity.

That will turn people's attention up so they listen to the "Bullets".

Then you break down the message you need into the appropriate bullets.

For instance, at the beginning of this email, I was trying to sell an idea with the headline – so I used the bullets to articulate the benefits of this technique (clear communication, quick, memorable).

If I were making a more logical argument (e.g. "Why we need to hire 20% more salespeople"), the bullets would be more "argumentative" in nature, explaining the top 2-4 reasons why the Headline is true.

And if I were using this technique to break down a project (e.g.: "How we're going to increase same-store sales by 15% in the next quarter"), I would list within the bullet points the top few actions that would make this viable.

It's a very versatile technique – think of it as a way to make an elevator pitch out of anything.

So, is there any message that you need to communicate today that'd benefit from a Headline & Bullets format?

Using it might be a way to work smarter today.